FAQs
What industries are featured here and why?
The statewide Strong Workforce Program identifies the industry sectors from which regional consortia can select to meet their local industry needs.
Industries are classified according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Occupations are classified using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). Industries and occupations were aligned to the priority industry sectors using crosswalks developed by the Centers of Excellence for Labor Market Research.
Where does the industry data come from?
Data about jobs and wages comes from Lightcast and covers the period 2022 through 2027. Job counts and annual openings represent employed and self-employed workers. Lightcast occupational employment data is based on final Lightcast industry data and staffing patterns. Wage estimates are based on Occupational Employment Statistics (QCEW and Non-QCEW Employees classes of worker) and the American Community Survey (Self-Employed and Extended Proprietors). Occupational wage estimates are also affected by county-level Lightcast earnings by industry.
The North Far North Center of Excellence for Labor Market Research compiled the industry data used on this website.
Supplemental information about occupations (descriptions, related job titles, tasks, work context) is sourced from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
How should I interpret the Top 10 lists?
The top employer and skill lists represent the sector’s top 10-20 occupations and come from Lightcast job posting analytics. The top employers and skills (specialized, common, and software) are those with the most job postings between September 2022 and August 2023 and are listed in descending order from most to fewest job postings.
Please note that the lists of employers and skills represent the entire group of top occupations for each industry sector. However, occupations with larger numbers of job postings have more influence on the top employer and skill lists. As a result, these lists may look different from an individual’s expectations.
The top 10 skills represent a subset of skills needed for employment in the sectors’ top occupations, and are not exclusive to any one occupation. As a result, simply having one or a random combination of the skills listed may not result in employment. Prospective students interested in a particular career should carefully examine community college offerings to determine which program best aligns to their goals.
How are the “Top Jobs” determined?
Each industry page’s list of top jobs is based on those occupations coded to that industry, those aligned with credentials and/or experience that can obtained at a community college, and those with the highest number of annual job openings or projected growth in each part of the region. Data is from Lightcast, and is based on final industry data and staffing patterns. Wage estimates are based on Occupational Employment Statistics (QCEW and Non-QCEW Employees classes of worker) and the American Community Survey (Self-Employed and Extended Proprietors). Occupational wage estimates are also affected by county-level Emsi earnings by industry.
How does the “View programs” link work for a listed job? Why do some jobs not have a link?
Jobs are linked to educational programs using a crosswalk that matches a job’s U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code to a related program’s Taxonomy of Programs (TOP) code. This crosswalk helps to show the relationship between an occupation and its related program(s) of study. At times, there is no match between a SOC code and TOP code. In some cases, there is currently no program available in the region that aligns with a job listed. We encourage you to explore related programs by using the Browse Colleges link at the top of each industry page and/or using filters on the main Colleges page.
Where did the college program data come from?
Initial college program data was prepared by the RP Group as part of a project aimed at analyzing CTE program offerings at the regional level. This process began with downloading data from the Chancellor’s Office Data Mart, a publicly available website that houses an inventory of courses and programs (i.e., certificates and degrees) submitted annually by each California community college to the Chancellor’s Office. This data was then refined to identify programs that were classified as CTE programs. Colleges reviewed their own data to validate its accuracy and completeness and to ensure it included all CTE degrees and certificates the college currently offers. For more information about the methodology, please see the project’s Practice Brief.
Colleges review and update their data on an annual basis during the summer and throughout the school year whenever updates are needed (e.g., a URL change).
Where did the K12 pathways data come from?
Information about high school pathways was collected by the region’s Strong Workforce Program K-12 Pathway Coordinators, in consultation with the schools and districts they serve. Pathway Coordinators review and update pathway information on an annual basis during the summer and throughout the school year whenever updates are needed (e.g., revised articulation agreements with colleges). The definition of a CTE pathway is based on the California Department of Education’s dedicated CTE model curriculum standards.